A top United States official said on Monday, 11 July, that Iran is planning to send hundreds of weapons-capable drones to Russia for them to use in Ukraine.
White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said this intel supported Washington's perception that Russia's heavy bombardments, especially in the east of the country, were coming at a cost to the sustainment of its own weapons."
"The Iranian government is preparing to provide Russia with up to several hundred UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles], including weapons-capable UAVs, on an expedited timeline," Sullivan stated.
"Our information further indicates that Iran is preparing to train Russian forces to use these UAVs, with initial training sessions slated to begin as soon as early July," he added.
The War in the East
Russian forces claimed on 3 July to have full control over the key city of Lysychansk, which was serving as the last major Ukrainian stronghold in the Luhansk region in the eastern part of the country.
President Vladimir Putin declared victory and reportedly told Russian troops to rest and "increase their combat capabilities."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged the situation in his nightly address, but vowed that Ukraine will not give up.
With Luhansk under Russian occupation, Donetsk becomes the next target.
But the larger prize is Donbas, a region which Ukraine controlled two-thirds of despite the heavy fighting that has occurred between its troops and pro-Russia separatists since 2014.
With respect to the war in Ukraine, Putin recently stated, "Everyone should know that, by and large, we haven't started anything yet in earnest."
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)